NEW YORK (AP) – The Washington Wizards turned Larry Brown’s big night into another home-opening loss for the New York Knicks.

Gilbert Arenas scored 27 points, and Antawn Jamison and Jarvis Hayes keyed the decisive spurt as the Wizards beat the Knicks 86-75 on Friday night in Brown’s first home game as Knicks coach.

Jamison scored 11 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter for the Wizards (2-0). He appeared to hurt his wrist after a fall early in the game and was only 4-for-18 through three quarters before helping Washington pull away.

Stephon Marbury scored 19 points and Eddy Curry had 12 for the Knicks (0-2), who lost their fourth straight home opener.

Brown, a Brooklyn native, is coaching his eighth NBA team. He was hired in July to turn around his hometown team after it went 33-49 last season.

New York had rallied from a 19-point deficit to tie the game at 67 early in the fourth quarter on Malik Rose’s basket. Jamison and Hayes each made two jumpers for an eight-point lead. After a free throw by Knicks rookie Channing Frye, Jamison made another jumper to give the Wizards a 77-68 lead with 5:39 to go.

Jamison would later add a 3-pointer to give Washington an 83-73 lead with just over three minutes remaining.

Brown received a loud ovation when his name was announced, and the Knicks played a clip of the news conference announcing his hiring on the overhead video board.

The Wizards made sure there would be little else for the home fans to cheer about for a while.

Washington shot 70 percent in the first quarter – Arenas was 5-for-5 – and led by as many as 19 points in building a 32-16 lead. The Knicks were booed as they walked off the court after shooting 28 percent.

But with Arenas limited to less than two minutes in the second quarter after picking up his third foul, Washington managed only four field goals as New York pulled to 43-35 on Rose’s jumper with less than a second left in the half.

The Knicks were down 10 midway through the third quarter, but Quentin Richardson scored six points in a 14-2 run that gave the Knicks a 61-59 lead on Rose’s two free throws with 40 seconds remaining in the period. A jumper by Arenas tied the game entering the fourth.

Notes: The Wizards were without forward Caron Butler, placed on the inactive list before the game because of a left thigh contusion. He was hurt during Washington’s season-opening win at Toronto. … New York had won the last five meetings with the Wizards at Madison Square Garden.

AP-ES-11-04-05 2209EST

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